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WC2018: Arsenal ace Xhaka sees red as Switzerland knock off Portugal

Switzerland opened their 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign with a 2-0 victory over Euro2016 winners Portugal.

Vladimir Petkovic's side held a two-goal lead by the half-hour mark to eventually hold off the reigning European Champions at St Jakob-Park in Basel.

Breel Embolo, who joined Schalke despite Premier League interest in the summer, gave the Swiss a 23rd-minute lead when Portugal keeper Rui Patricio parried Wolfsburg left-back Ricardo Rodriguez's well-struck free-kick straight into the path of the striker who needed no section invitation to head home.

Arsenal's summer signing, Granit Xhaka, was sent off early in injury time for a second bookable offence when cutting Joao Mario in the middle of the pitch but it did not upset his side's two-goal advantage to kick off Group B in style.